002 thoughts of the week

1. For memorial weekend I went home to visit my parents. To help pass the time, my older sister played old performances on blast and it made me feel extremely nostalgic. I mean, listen to the harmonization in THIS and the greatness that is THIS. They just don't do entertainment right anymore *grandma grumble.

2. I had no idea who Iggy Azalea was last week but I came across Jimmy Kimmel's translation for old people video which made me laugh and also firmly cemented the rapper's name in my brain. Now I feel like she's everywhere I turn and I just wasn't paying attention before. I previously hated Fancy, now it is embarrassingly a guilty pleasure.

3. I almost gave up on The Originals because I really can not stand Hayley (the worst) but I heard the finale was good so I forced myself to catch up. And it was worth it because the finale was really great. I might have cried. That damn wooden toy scene, ugh.

All the tears...

4. NastyGal was having a 50% off already marked down items so picked out a few things. I've never shopped at the site before so we shall see how it goes. The things I am most excited about are THIS sparkly thing and my very first maxi dress.

5. Did you guys see The Lonely Island's When Will the Bass Drop video?! If you are a fan of EDM you will 100% understand and laugh forever like I did. If not, you probably won't think it's funny. Andy Samberg's face could convince you otherwise though.

6. My recently watched Netflix movie is Dogtooth. I picked it because an internet list told me it was compelling. Holy hell this movie was fucked up. I didn't understand what was going on at all but it did make me think for a couple days after I watched it. I don't know if I necessarily recommend it because it is a strange, strange movie with no concrete resolution or explanation.

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just to give you a preview of the strangeness

7. Emma Watson's face. Her makeup is always something to be mesmerized by.

8. Chrissy Teigen answered some questions on her twitter for Cosmo and she mentioned one of her favorite beauty tricks is using LORAC self tanner mixed with moisturizer. I was intrigued so I bought it during Beauty.com's 20% F&F sale and tried it out. In short, I love it. Mixing this product is such a genius idea since 1. you extend the product usage without significantly decreasing the integrity of the tanner 2. it kills off that God awful self tanner smell. Maybe I'll do a full review on this when I get more use out of it.

9. My parents are donating a king sized bed to me in a couple weeks and I am so excited. I'm also overwhelmed with the choices of bedding there are as I have no idea what kind of look I want. I need bedroom inspiration.

10. The weather has been so gorgeous lately that I am so antsy to get out and do some outdoor activities. Just a few things on my list: kayaking, canoeing, visiting a fish hatchery, picking strawberries. Bring it on summer 2014.

please don't let my summer become this haha.

007 what I'm eating/fitness routine

As a fellow foodie, I am always fascinated by what other people choose to consume and what recipes others find worth sharing. I'm that person who does NOT find it annoying when when people post pictures of their meal, I truly enjoy creeping on their chow. If you feel the same way, these posts are for you. It's time for another installment of what I've been eating. I also wanted to briefly cover my fitness routine for some insight.

BREAKFAST

When I wake up I am rarely ever hungry and I hate forcing myself to eat any type of meal. I try to stick to something light to get some nutrition in my body since I do my workouts in the morning. Working out on an empty stomach is no bueno for me, I get light headed and feel nauseous when I do so. I usually opt for a protein shake, something I REALLY had to adjust to. I used to be very sensitive to the taste of the protein powder and despised it but now I can't even taste it.

If you feel the same way about protein, I suggest gradually adding protein powder to your shakes. For example, when I first started out I started with only half a scoop. I continued this for about two weeks and then moved on to 3/4 of a scoop and so on and so forth. Also, bananas are your best friends. They cover up the protein taste and thicken up the shake. For my shakes I add a mix of almond milk and water, a heaping scoop of mint chocolate protein powder, half of a very ripe frozen banana, ground flax seed, wheat germ, psyllium husk, and a little pro-biotic powder. Flax seed and wheat germ should be easy to find at health stores or places like Vitamin Shoppe or GNC if you want convenience but if you want more bang for your buck suggest looking for a bulk retailer online. Psyllium husk can be found anywhere, I get mine at Walmart for cheap. It looks like THIS.

As for actual food, to be honest I rarely eat in the mornings. Like I said, my body is still processing being up so the last thing I want to do is to eat. If I am up for a while and don't have places to be, I will eat steel cut oatmeal that has been soaked in almond milk overnight. I'll add honey, cinnamon, and some walnuts to make it tasty. This is the only way I will eat oatmeal! I hated oatmeal before I did this combination. There is also my favorite snack of greek yogurt with fruit, honey, and some kind of granola.

LUNCH

Lunch is when I first start feeling hungry. I bulk up on vegetables, incorporate a lean meat or seafood to feel fully satisfied, and I always like to finish off with some kind of fruit. Any salad with chicken is a common choice with me. Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and feta with balsamic is my go to and fail safe choice. Sometimes I'll switch it up and bulk up on vegetables a different way, such as shrimp ceviche. Soups I'll do now and again, pictured here is Ina Garten's roasted tomato basil which I highly recommend trying out. I'll also meet up with friends for lunch and do pho. Sandwiches I'll do on occasion depending on my mood and how quick I want to throw something together. Pictured is a turkey bacon BLT I made up (wheat bread, red onion, tomato, turkey bacon, avocado to replace mayo) which I extremely enjoy. I thought I was going to hate turkey bacon but it has the same flavor as bacon! It does not have the satisfying crumbly fat texture though.

DINNER

Dinner I stick to the same philosophy of bulking up on vegetables and having some kind of lean meat. I am also a firm advocate of carbs as I feel like they give me energy and keep me full longer. My favorites are sweet potato, quinoa, and brown rice. I tried out THIS recipe for a creamy avocado spaghetti squash dish which is pictured in the middle and I would not recommend it. It just made me want to eat guacamole and I don't think it complimented the squash well. I won't strictly stick to healthy choices, if I crave pasta I'll whip up the classic one pot pasta or if I feel like white rice I'll make it and eat it with a stir fry or boiled meat and vegetable dish.

INDULGENCES

My body is to the point where if I go overboard with anything unhealthy I feel sick which is surprising to me since I never thought I would get on that level. Even so, weekends I tend to indulge and not hold back on anything within reason. I drink beer, I try out restaurants in my area, etc.

FITNESS

This is about a 4.5 month time gap. I started out the first two months doing 1 hour gym sessions but I found that was too hard on my body and I was constantly sore/in pain so the last two months I switched to 30-45 minute workouts. I run and do weights about 4-5 times a week. My current workout starts off with a 15 minute run which usually ends up being 1.5-2 miles depending on my mood. After that warm up I do weights, I switch off between arms and legs every other day. I just use the weight machines provided at my gym.

I'm not a health expert and everyone is different but this is what has been working for me. I do have a pretty decent metabolism, which I am very thankful for, so keep that in mind. I think what helped me most was jump-starting my physical activity as I was never, EVER, EVER physically active before. Getting my ass up and around was a tremendous lifestyle change. Diet of course is a big factor but I don't like focusing on it and I don't like depriving myself since food brings me great joy. I still eat chips, pizza, burgers, pork belly etc just not as often as I used to. I would say I also eat less than I did before which was very hard for me in the beginning but my body adjusted with time. Had a few hangry moments in the beginning!

I also think shakes or some kind of supplement is a defining factor in my change as I don't believe the food we have access to has the proper and full nutritional value our bodies need. I don't see the protein shakes as meal replacements, I see them as a boost in covering all the nutrient holes I have in my diet.

If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask. I'm pretty open about everything so don't be shy!

making things work part II

I've been on a "get through piles of the products you own" mission lately. I haven't bought any new makeup and skincare that hasn't been essential which is really a special feat for me. This action has brought out a bit of creativity in me because I have a few items that I don't particularly like but I wanted to still use up. So here I am, documenting my little tricks. This is a sequel post to THIS one.

I have talked about all these products before on my blog. Three of the four pictured are products that I have expressed my distaste for because they didn't meet my expectations or because they didn't work well with my needs. Determined to get some use out of these products, I thought of different ways to use them up.

COMBINE
I did a review on Maybelline Baby Face Pore Eraser and found it to be pretty worthless for my oily skin. It did smooth out the appearance of my pores but it also left me hideously oily when used alone. I figured since it did a good job smoothing, I could try out mixing it with the amazing product that is the Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner. Worked like a charm. I get oil free, smooth results while using up two products at once.

Avene Soothing Moisture Mask as a hand treatment.

APPLY ELSEWHERE
Avene Soothing Moisture Mask and my face just did not get along. It felt greasy and left my skin very congested and clogged. It was, however, particularly nice if I used it strictly on rough patches of my face which got me thinking...what if I applied this to dry areas beyond my face? I recently gave myself mild chemical burns on my hands at work which left my poor hands cracked, scaly, and overall uncomfortable. It doesn't help that I am required to wash my hands extremely frequently which further exacerbated the dryness. To experiment, I applied a thick layer of this mask onto the tops of my hands, let it soak in as much product as possible, and then massaged in the residue for good measure. Holy cow the results were stunning. My scaly, cracked skin disappeared and returned to normal. I can see why dry skinned people love this. I think if you have eczema you need to try this out, it could be your godsend.

Another product I have taken to apply elsewhere is Dior Amber Diamond highlighter. I am in the minority when it comes to this product as I have never been impressed with it on my cheekbones. I don't find it to be special or something that stands out. I have been using it as eye shadow instead, and this is a much better use for it. It isn't super frosty so it isn't too over the top but it does give my lids a pretty neutral sheen when blended all over the lid. All I have to do is add a little transition matte color to my eye socket to finish up. And tons of mascara and kohl liner, but that's a given.

night time skincare routine 2014

My routine for the evening has changed product wise compared to last year, but the overall philosophy is the same. At night I like to focus on thoroughly removing my makeup of the day and treating my scarring concerns. I double cleanse in the evening, first with a cleansing oil and then with a lathering cleanser.

OIL CLEANSER: Boscia Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil
This is a repeat purchase, I think I have gone through about 3 bottles of these. I like it but I prefer Shu Uemura more. This is a bit thicker than Shu and takes a few rinses to get off. Still, it cleans off makeup well and helps keep my skin hydrated. I've noticed when I skip out using oil cleansers, my skin gets a few rough patches. Never again. The ingredients in the Boscia would appeal more to the natural junkies compared to the Shu since Shu is mostly mineral oil (which I have no aversion to).

SECOND CLEANSER: Ole Henricksen On the Go Cleanser
I have only been using this for 2 weeks or so I don't have a real opinion on it yet. So far it is decent but not the best cleanser I have tried. It has a vitaminy citrus scent and squeezes out as a thick gel. I actually hate the set up of dispensing the product, it is thick so squeezing it out of the nozzle is a pain. It cleans well and doesn't irritate my skin. I think this wouldn't be a good idea for dry skin though, it is ever so slightly stripping.

TONER: Kiehl's Clarity Activating Toner
I'm about done with this and I can say that this is nothing special. There is no noticeable difference in my scarring nor in the healing time of the redness after a blemish makes its way out. It doesn't sting and it doesn't make me break out but it is absolutely not worth the retail $42 USD. I'm glad I got this discounted or else I'd be quite irate with this. Skip it!

FACIAL OIL: Clarins Lotus Oil
I did a review on this HERE. I feel the same way as my review: I'm now a believer in facial oils and their benefits. It has dramatically helped with my sebum production and overall balance of my skin.

MOISTURIZER: CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
It ain't HG for nothing.

For my night time routine, I am only unhappy with my toner choice. Luckily I'm almost finished with it so I can move on to better things. I already picked up its replacement: Peter Thomas Roth Max Correction Pads. I've actually tried these before in the past but I forgot how they fared.

morning skincare routine 2014

It has been about a year since I shared my skincare routine. I thought it would be a good idea to do a little update. Like last time, I will talk about my morning routine first and do an additional post about my night time routine. If you were curious, HERE is the post I did last year.

A brief summary on my skin type and skincare philosophy: oily, acne prone, scarred, and not all that sensitive. My main concerns are controlling oil without over drying as well as working at diminishing the appearance of my hyperpigmentation and scarring. I prefer to have a morning cleanser that is mild and usually non foaming just to wash away the night's oil production and residue from the lotions and potions I applied the night before. I also am a firm advocate of oil cleansers and second cleansing at night. I am not obsessively concerned with ingredients but I do read what is in what I purchase and tend to pick items that have a higher percentage of the beneficial ingredients rather than the fillers. I like having two types of toners on hand, one to hydrate and one to mildly exfoliate. Now on to specifics:

CLEANSER: Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip
This is quite expensive, $45 USD, but the price per use for this ends up making that price tag manageable. I am about 9 months in using it and I still have enough left for a good solid 2 months I would say. I like this cleanser. It doesn't feel stripping yet it cleans thoroughly. It claims to tighten pores and smooth out skin but I don't see much of that. It is very balancing which is what I'm looking for in the mornings. I would recommend it if you have the funds. I would think about repurchasing as I think this has been the best non foaming gentle cleanser I have tried so far (I have tried Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Dr. Hauschka).

TONER: Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner
This is actually a repurchase for me. I enjoy this and think it will be a staple in my routine. It is inexpensive, alcohol free, and soothing. I thought about trying another type of toner in Thayer's range but I ended up coming back to this.

TREATMENT: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
HG and can't live without it. When I don't use this my skin is very congested and my pores get very clogged up quickly. A thin layer over my problem areas fixes this in a snap and the effects don't diminish over time.

TREATMENT: LUSH Grease Lightening
I bought this having very low expectations for some reason. But I love this. My skin seems to really respond well to tea tree oil. My skin is noticeably less oily during the day when I use this. I would repurchase and recommend it if you have oily skin or any oily zones in general.

MOISTURIZER: CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
You guys are probably sick of me singing praises of this by now. Another HG product. I have been using this close to 10 years now and haven't had the guts to switch out or explore any other options. Why fix what isn't broken? Moisturizes, sinks in quickly, not greasy, unscented, easy to find, inexpensive...my list of pros goes on. If you have dry skin this isn't the best option as I think it will be too light for you, but if you have combo to oily skin you MUST try this out.

I use these products in the order I described them. I am very happy with the state my skin has been in with this current routine. The only complaint I have is trying to battle hormonal acne in which case certain products really won't have a huge effect as the problem lies within the body.

milani flamingo pose

I would say that I have become fairly confident in wearing bold lipstick out in public without feeling self conscious. The main reason I don't regularly wear the stuff is mostly due to the maintenance rather than feelings of doubt. A girl has to eat and drink. Even though I say this, I do get rather nervous when it comes to wearing bold pinks. Remember when I tried my hand at fuchsia (yes I had to look up how to spell this correctly...again)? I don't know what it is about it. Maybe because I have never really been a fan of pink in general or perhaps it reminds me all too much of Barbie.

Either way, I have been determined to try and overcome my bold pink lipstick fear. I tested out the waters with the reddish pink Revlon Strawberry Suede and have come to really love the color. After I got used to that, I picked an outrageously pink color to get the ball rolling: Milani Flamingo Pose.

BAM...just look at that color. It is much brighter in person. It takes me a couple minutes to get used to all that color radiating from my lips. Not for the timid and all for the ones who want to call attention to their lips. It is a pretty color but I still prefer my reds and plums over this.

I have absolutely nothing close to this color. It is an almost neon punchy pink so it isn't surprising that I couldn't find anything similar to what I own. Milani does lipsticks decently. They glide on easily enough and aren't extremely slippy so it won't melt off. They have rich pigmentation and don't excessively accentuate any rough patches. I don't find it to be the most moisturizing but it definitely isn't the driest I've come across. This particular shade leaves a pinkish stain behind once it fades away or even if it is wiped off which I find quite nice. It does have a strong melon scent which I think is too artificial and sickly. I wish it wasn't present but it doesn't linger for the entire wear.

SWATCHES
L to R: Milani Flamingo Pose, Revlon Fuchsia, Estee Lauder Rubellite

All these shades would be beautiful cream blush shades, no? Fuchsia is obviously more of a cool pink with some purple shot through it, Rubellite is almost frosty and more of a tamed ruby.

AWKWARD POSING

So all in all I'm still not used to these punchy bright pink shades, as indicated in my uncomfortable face above. But that doesn't stop me from trying. I wish this shade looked as kick ass on me as it does on Viola but then again she looks good in all damn lipsticks shades, even blue ones. The more I apply it the less shocking the color seems on. Maybe NARS Schiap will be something I'll wear one day. Still terrified.

001 thoughts of the week

I thought I'd start a series called "thoughts of the week", an idea I completely copied from Jessica. These are some of my favorite posts that I look forward to reading on her blog and my philosophy when it comes to blogging is to always put out content I would want to read myself. So here's to the first installment! I'll try to make this a weekly thing, perhaps even on the same day. Look at me, all trying to be routine-y.

1. I have been quite engrossed with Mindy Kaling. I actually have never seen anything she has been in (I never watched The Office, don't throw stones at me), but in the past I would see her frequently popping up on my twitter and tumblr feed. I was finally prompted to read her book, "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)" after seeing a friend post about it. It wasn't boring and I read through it quickly yet it is not the funniest I have come across. Still, I love reading about the beginning struggles of the successful and now I have the urge to start watching her show.

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2. Speaking of reading, my birthday is next week and my boyfriend surprised me with an early present, a Kindle Paperwhite! I was actually very taken aback he got me this since I mentioned it only in passing this past November. I guess guys really do listen...sometimes :P Any recommendations are welcomed. My GoodReads account in case you wanted to get an idea of my reading patterns.

3. I ran across this article earlier this week about a family who stopped eating sugar for an entire year. I personally think it is a bit of an extreme measure. Although, I do agree that the general population consumes more than their fair share. Thoughts?

4. I liked this post about preservatives and why they are necessary in most of our beauty products. I don't understand how they got such a bad rep, perhaps because they sound too "chemical"?

5. Already thinking about what to try next after my great success with Clarins Lotus Oil, something like Sunday Riley's Artemis looks promising. The price is slightly nauseating.

6. My sister is one of those fickle purchasers that refuses to finish up products and buys a new replacement halfway through its use. Her recent pickup was Victoria's Secret True Escape lotion which I initially dismissed because Victoria Secret scents remind me of a mixture of over-tanned college freshmen and strippers. I randomly slapped it on the other day and couldn't stop sniffing myself. It is quite fresh and light but also has a bit of warmth and sweetness to it. Squirt some on the hands next time you are in VS and let me know what you think.

7. Game of Thrones is back \o/ But I haven't been able to watch the premiere due to school so no spoilers!

8. This weekend I am going to see Hardwell and I am very excited. The only thing that makes me wary is the venue is 18+ so the likelihood of me wanting to murder a majority of the crowd is extremely high.

9. Recently I watched the cult movie Heathers for the first time and was highly, highly entertained. It is on Netflix so if you have an account you have no excuse, go watch it. Be ready for high fashion 80's blazers with exuberant shoulder padding, frequent monocle use, and witty dialog.

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Oh yeah, there is a lot of profanity too ha.

10. Louis C.K. hosted SNL and then Anna Kendrick followed and I haven't been able to watch either yet. Only a couple more weeks of school...